The Storm
by Thefanficmistress
Summary: The Crew is caught in a storm amongst friends and enemies (UPDATED 2-04-05) Finally complete!
1. Default Chapter

Title: The Storm  
  
Author: shadowkat83  
  
Rating: R (for violence)  
  
Summary: The crew of the Andromeda is caught in a storm amongst friends and enemies.  
  
Harper's usual happy mood was magnified ten fold on this planet. It had been centuries since anyone was allowed on this paradise of a world but finally the inhabitance had agreed to once again see what the universe had to offer. I watched Harper and Trance dance from the balcony of our shared suite. He danced around with Trance in a show of joy that wasn't quite harper-ish. I'd seen him dance, I'd seen him run, jump, and laugh but never this heartfelt. It was wonderful to see him like this. I smiled and leaned against the railing breathing in the clean air. I continued to smile and chuckle at the rambunctious, kids that were slowly finding out what bugs stung and pinched, much to their dismay. I wished I could throw all this commonwealth dignity to the side and roll around in the greenery but I hadn't forgotten that I was here for diplomatic reasons and had to look dignified at all times, even though I was standing on the balcony in my Commonwealth issue pajamas. I guess that wasn't to dignified. My thoughts were interrupted when Harper yelped and ran in place comically trying to shake something big and slimy off his finger.  
  
"AHHH! Get it off!" he screamed as Trance pried the weird looking bug off his finger and set it down in a near by shrub. She seemed at one with nature and I found myself staring in awe at how she fit in with the purples of the surrounding foliage. Harper wiped his eyes and tried to pull himself together which only sent Trance into a fit of laughter.  
  
"Hey that wasn't funny! Come here!" Harper said lashing out playfully and once again they were on the move. They giggled loudly and I watched shaking my head like any parent would do. I couldn't help but think of them as my kids. Both Trance and Harper had a sort of naive charm. Harper not so much naive but more a rebellious teen that needed to be kept on track. Harper finally caught Trance by the tail and they both laughed loudly before falling back into the multitude of flowers in the huge field. I breathed out heavily and paced back into the room running my hands through my hair and rubbing the back of my neck to release the stress that had been building since the day we had arrived on this planet. The stress and tedium of diplomatic gathering not only bored me but also left me drained. I looked over the huge suite they had given us. The ceiling had to have been over 10 feet high and the room was twice the size of Andromeda's bridge. Sigh.It's been 2 days and I already miss Andromeda. I find myself comparing everything to her.Seeing if paradise measures up to the one I had in orbit around this planet. I trusted Rommie to take care of .er.herself until I got back which would be in 3 more days but it was hard to leave my ship in someone elses hands.Even if it was her own hands. I laughed at my own confusion and looked over to the two lumps that still laid in bed lazily. Tyr hadn't wanted to come in the first place and since he couldn't find anyone to kill or torment he'd decided to stay in bed and get his beauty sleep, of course with his knife nestled tightly next to him. I shook my head at his lack of trust and turned my attention to the stirring lump in the bed adjacent to his.  
  
"Could you tell Harper and Trance to keep it down." Beka groaned, covering her face with a pillow. At that moment Harper decided to burst out into song which only infuriated Beka.  
  
"Jeremiah was a bullfrog!" Harper screamed following it up with more lyrics. Beka's eyes squinted in anger and she stormed over to the window.  
  
"Harper! Jeez! Shut-up!" Beka screamed letting the veins pop out of her neck and letting the spit fly. I drew back knowing an angry Beka wasn't anything to play with.  
  
"Who was that Harper?" Trance asked innocently. She couldn't see cause of the glare of the sun. Harper looked up shading his eye with his hand.  
  
"Oh don't worry. It was just some blonde lunatic." Harper said loudly. He gave Beka the finger and stalked off dragging Trance along. I laughed..Family unity? Yeah right.  
  
"Finally, some quiet! Between you and Harper's Snoring and Tyr's incessant growling, I've gotten absolutely no sleep. NONE!" She said to me. She stood with boxers and a white tank on. Her hair was frazzled and the bags under her eyes hung loosely. I grimaced and nodded letting her get back to bed immediately.  
  
"We have a meeting with the Rollan people at 7 and we all must."  
  
"Shut-up Dylan.just.shut-up." She said dramatically clawing her way back into bed and turning her back towards me. I looked over to Tyr who was looking on quite amused. We both shrugged it off like any man who had been yelled at by a woman would. Tyr growled childishly and Beka stiffened with anger once again covering her face with her pillow and screaming into it. Tyr chuckled and so did I. Under normal circumstances I would never had roomed with the girls.just to keep things proper. But in this society a "family" always roomed together. They had strict rules on family and they wouldn't have even thought of signing onto the commonwealth if we didn't show the same family unity. It had taken me weeks to convince them that even though we weren't tied by blood we were still a family unit. I looked over at the table next to my untidy bed and groaned at the documents that I still had to read before our meeting at 7. I sat back down and began but I couldn't shake my thoughts about Harper. Harper's mood was usually a pleasant one but I could tell it was a cover for all the pain he had felt in his life. His quick wit and well-placed quips were his exaggerated way of telling everyone not to worry, His way of saying 'look at me, I can make jokes even in the most desperate of situations.I'm fine see?' Unfortunately it back fired and I had been feeling more and more concerned for my manic engineer. The more joy he exuded the more I felt like he was hiding and the joy he was exhibiting today only made my skin crawl. One of these days Harper's not going to be able to hide his pain behind a witty remark. One of these days he's going to explode and take us all down with him. I sipped my coffee and shook my thoughts of Harper's mental collapse away and focused on the documents in front of me. This was very important for the future of the commonwealth. This world had let out a beacon a few months ago announcing their willingness to listen and maybe allie with another world for trade purposes. Unfortunately the commonwealth wasn't the only ones to receive the message. This meeting at 7 will be a fight between me and the Drago Katsov pride who answered the beacon as well. The Than had heard the beacon and agreed to send a representative to listen to the debate and report back but they have put me in charge of speaking on their behalf. Their faith in the commonwealth was flattering but only gave me more work to do, having to learn Than legislature. I was happy that they decided to let the commonwealth speak for them in a way because of their tight family structure which would prove that the commonwealth could work with a people who have a society structured around family units. I knew that would give us a big one up. Our only real obstacle was making sure that this planet. doesn't fall into the hands of the Drago Katsov pride. I knew they would use the materials the Rollan people had to terrorize this system and then later terrorize the very world they gotten the materials from. The Drago's "family unit" was in the room next to ours, which was why Harper spent the least amount of time possible in the building and why Tyr slept with a knife. I shuddered to think of what they would do to this beautiful piece of heaven and I was tempted to bring a weapon along as well but violence is strictly prohibited on this world and would be the fastest way to get kicked out of the alie running leaving the Drago's to win The Rollan's favor by default. These diplomatic proceedings would require finesse and cunning, something I know I posses but it's also something I know Tyr possesses and was pretty damn good at it. Tyr sauntered over, holding his belt and pushing his hair out of his face like usual. He sat in front of me propping his feet on the table and pulling out a book leisurely.  
  
"I assume your thinking about how you're going to handle the Drago Katsov." He said smoothly, turning the page of his book that looked humorously small compared to his bulk.  
  
"Actually I was thinking about you."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yep. I was thinking about how your gonna help me in the proceedings today at 7."  
  
"Oh, and how will I be helping you?" Tyr said with and aire of amusment in his voice.  
  
"I'm thinking you can help me understand how the Neitzchean mind works."  
  
"How the Neitzchean mind works? All this time I thought you knew. Evidently you've been blowing hot air." Tyr said chuckling and closing his book with an anticipation for an answer.  
  
"Tyr. All I need is your council. If you think they are being shifty then you tell me."  
  
"They are Nietzcheans.they are always shifty." He said seeming to be tired of our talk now. He shifted with boredom in his seat.  
  
"But I understand what you mean and I can do that for you but what will I get in return?"  
  
"Piece of mind knowing that you helped to stop the Drago Katsov from taking this world?" Tyr shook his head slowly never tearing his stern brown eyes away from mine.  
  
"hmmm.not good huh? Well, I could.I don't know.Give you access to a slipfighter so you can go off in search of whatever you've been asking Beka to borrow the Maru to find." Tyr raised his book and leaned back haughtily.  
  
"That'll do." He said nonchalantly but I knew he was pleased.  
  
"I smiled and stared down at the papers again. Tyr was making me a little uneasy but no more then usual. He was always scheming and I had no idea what his next plan was. I caught myself comparing Tyr to Rhade.I was trying to see if All the signs in Rhade that I'd missed I could find in Tyr before he back stabbed me. Just then Harper and Trance came bursting in and a groan came from Beka. Harper tracked in dirt and grass. His hair was matted to his head from sweat and the knees of his red cargo pants were stained green but he didn't seem to care. The smile on his face was huge and he ran in huffing and exhausted.  
  
"Hey guys look out the window!" He shouted pointing with one hand while the other was holding his chest.  
  
"What's going on?" I said. Seeing Harper bent over in exhaustion shouting about looking out the window scared me. I expected to see the Drago chasing behind him.  
  
"Just look out the window. Snow!" Beka rolled over intrigued and Tyr lowered his book reluctantly. I gazed out the window and gasped in awe.  
  
"Snow?" I said. Harper looked pleased with all of our reactions.  
  
"It's weird cause it was so sunny a minuet ago and then out of the blue snow started coming down!" Trance said sitting on her bed and hugging her pillow with excitement.  
  
"Harper said that it use to snow on earth.It's cold! And it's pretty!" Harper and Trance smiled at each other and Beka got up to stand beside me at the window. The temperature outside was starting to drop And the huge flakes whirled around mindlessly. Trance piped in again and her childlike excitement even made me excited.  
  
"Harper says that it might not stick though cause the ground is to hot." She frowned.  
  
"But if it keep up for long enough it might stick and we can drink hot chocolate and bundle up in our blankets and later he'll show us how to make a snowman!" Tyr finally growled obviously tired of Trance's outbursts of joy.  
  
"A snowman?"  
  
"Yeah! It's a man made out of snow and you have to find him a hat and scarf and use buttons for eyes and a mouth and a carrot for a nose and then you.."  
  
"Well, obviously some of use have forgotten the reason why we are here." Tyr said draining the room of all it's fun. He stared at all of us with his lips tight and his brow furrowed. Then he shifted angrily and returned to his book. Harper sighed heavily and walked over to Trance.  
  
"Don't' worry I'll still teach you even if Tyr wants to be a big grouch." Harper said getting no response from Tyr. Trance nodded and ran to the balcony where she danced in the falling flurries. Harper soon followed and reluctantly I stepped out into the bizarre white flakes that were falling all around. I looked up and they seemed to be falling from nowhere. I was amazed and held out my hand to catch them and watch them melt. Beka stepped out with her hands wrapped around herself. She shivered slightly at the cold air that was taking over all the heat at an astonishing rate.  
  
"I've never seen snow before. I've heard of it once though." She said smiling slightly. It was a major difference from the way she looked before, screaming for Harper to shut up.  
  
"Neither have I" I said. I watched Harper lean over the balcony with his eyes closed. The snowflakes landed in his hair and on his lashes. He seemed to be in heaven and I smiled at him. I remembered I had the meeting to get ready for at 7 but it wasn't everyday that I got to see snow.and it wasn't every day that I got to see my engineer this content with life. No whining, no witty remark, no pessimism or fear. He looked back at me and smiled lazily and we just stared at each other.  
  
"Snow." He mouthed to me and I nodded. His content was good to see but it also hurt. I knew he wouldn't stay that happy for long. I knew when the snow was gone.when we had to leave this planet that smile would vanish and the superficial lopsided smile the crew had gotten use to would return. I shivered harshly once the cold reached my bones and looked around to see everyone even Tyr being affected by the cold.  
  
"I think you should come in unless you want to die of pneumonia." Tyr said.  
  
"Oh wow Tyr didn't know you cared. I'm touched." Beka said looking back into the room at the bored neitzchean.  
  
"You getting sick would only delay the diplomatic proceedings hence making my stay on this." He looked out the window at the gradually increasing snow flurries.  
  
".Unpredictable planet longer then it should be." He returned to his book and Beka scoffed stepping inside and shaking the flakes out of her hair and onto a very angry Tyr.  
  
"Oops.I'm so unpredictable." She said strutting to the bathroom. Tyr growled angrily and attempted to get up but I grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"A family unit remember." Tyr brushed my hand off and continued to move so I had to try another tactic.  
  
"slipfighter.." Tyr looked at me breathed out heavily and then sat back down and returned to his book. I looked back outside and watched Harper stick his tongue out and catch the white flurries. Trance watched next to me and whispered to me.  
  
"I think this is good for him. He needed this." She smiled and hopped off to her closet to choose what multicolored outfit she would wear today. I sat down to focus on the papers in front of me but I caught myself looking around Tyr to watch Harper. Who would have thought A sunny day and a Snowy afternoon could do so much for that man... The boy, kid, hell I didn't know his age but it's done a lot. I tore myself away from him and back to the documents screaming for attention. Maybe I would have a talk with Harper after the meeting. 


	2. Chapter 2

Being the dysfunctional crew that we are we waited 'till the last minute to get ready for the meeting. Me and Tyr were fully dressed watching Beka, Harper and Trance get dressed in a rushed fury. Harper scurried around the room on his short little legs looking for his left shoe while Beka struggled to manage her hair. Trance was still trying to figure out what to wear much to everyone's aggravation, Everyone except Harper. It was amazing watching those two interact. If it had been anyone else taking that long to choose an outfit Harper would have blown up but he had the patience of Job when it came to Trance.  
  
"Harper how about this one?" Trance said holding up an outfit that looked almost identical to the others she had pulled out for Harper's inspection.  
  
"You look sparkly and hot in all of your outfits Trance. Especially that one." He said she smiled and skipped to the bathroom to put it on. I walked over and grabbed Harper's shoulder.  
  
"You're a good man Harper."  
  
"Well, I try." He smiled finally finding his shoe and slipping it on. He smiled proudly.  
  
"Ta Da.the Harper is smooth." He said reaching up to adjust the tie that wasn't there.  
  
"Crap" he said with a tired frown and started searching again. I rolled my eyes and Tyr growled.  
  
"I need some air." He said with frustration and left the room. I was thinking about leaving with him but I knew Harper would probably stop looking, pull out a sparky and go to sleep if I didn't keep my eye on him. He finally found his tie under the bed and struggled to put it on.I walked up behind him without thinking and started to adjust his tie but he wrenched away from me much to my surprise. He whirled around and his blue pools fell into this endearing doe-like, child-like, puppy dog-like look that made my stomach drop.  
  
"I can do it Dylan." He said angrily. Before I could say anything Beka walked in looking absolutely beautiful. She smiled brightly showing all her teeth..  
  
"You don't have to say it .I know." She said full of conceit. I rolled my eyes but she did look damn good. She wore a fitting blue dress that was cut too low for a function like this but I'd be damned if I were to complain.  
  
"Oh Beka! Dance! Too much booty in the pants. dance! Too much booty in the pants." he sung loudly and Beka turned around shaking her quite shapely butt lively. I blushed and scratched my head in disbelief. Hmmm a booty shaking first officer? Suddenly I got an image of my former first officer shaking his butt in her place. I stifled a laugh and then a bone rattling shudder. I looked over to watched Harper laugh enthusiastically singing the song with all his heart and clapping in time. I wished that I could have a relationship that close. As close as Harper was to Trance and beka, having had lost my family and everyone I had ever known 300 years ago I felt isolated and lonely. Being the captain prohibited me from being that close because when push comes to shove I would make the decisions that could cost them there lives. Beka hiked up her skirt dipping down a few times which only made Harper cheer louder. Trance poked her head out of the bathroom and clapped the rhythm. They were an amazing family unit the three of them. They fought one minute and had moments like these the next. I wished that I could somehow weasel my way into there family, some how become there adopted child but they all held me at arms length. Especially Harper, I couldn't understand why he was so leery of me. Always trying to get away from me, sneaking out of rooms and finding things to do during off time. Now that I think about me and Harper have never really talked. I saw him wrench away angrily in my mind. Why was I even trying to fix his tie? Why did I even think that was appropriate? Was it because I thought of him as a son? All of a sudden all of my inner turmoil made me recent there happyness, especially Harper's.  
  
"Alright, alright.we've got a meeting to get to." I said. I was being a little petty.well very petty but my excuse was that we really did have a meeting to get to.  
  
"Party pooper" Harper said doing the finishing touches to his tie. I was a party pooper. I think mainly it was because Harper's singing was hurting my ears and I couldn't get the image of Rhade shaking his butt singing 'dance to much booty in the pants'. I shuddered openly which got everyones attention.  
  
"Dylan are you ok?" Beka said adjusting her dress so even more cleavage was showing.  
  
"Yeah just .Don't ask. Are we ready to go?"  
  
"I told you I can do it." Harper said nodding in satisfaction. The tie was crooked and wrinkled but I didn't say anything. I just nodded and started for the door. Trance walked out the bathroom looking stunning as usual. Harper held out his arm and Trance hooked hers with his. She giggled which only made harpers smile grow. Then an unfamiliar and distant look swept over his face.  
  
"You know I was always told never to second guess a good thing. But doesn't it just seem like we are having too much fun and things are just going to well?" Harper said looking around the room at the luxuries then looking down at his clothes.  
  
"Something has to come along to ruin." Harper said and I could see his good mood slipping away.  
  
"Harper stop.Just have fun ok?" Trance said with a frown that grew into a smile. I could tell she was encouraging him to smile with her which didn't work very well. Was this the end of jovial Harper? It looked like it sadly. His mood changed so quickly it was amazing. How does he function like this? Trance straightened his tie and continued to smile hoping he'd pick it up.maybe even try to smile himself.  
  
"After the meeting are you gonna show me how to make a snowman?" Trance continued trying to prompt a smile.  
  
"Umm.yeah probably" He said which I've learned meant no in Harper lingo. Trance's smile faded a little, I guess she knew the Harper lingo too. We continued down the hall picking up Tyr along the way. The building was huge so we had a good walk ahead of us but I didn't mind. The art and sculptors that littered the hallways were exquisite. I felt like I was in a museum. The multicolored walls were painted with colors that under normal circumstances wouldn't match but some how did here. The huge cascading windows gave us a view of the winter wonderland outside. It had been snowing for 7 hours and there wasn't a green thing left in sight. It as like someone had taken an eraser and erased all the color leaving just the outlines. The snow was considerably high and I worried slightly about the snow but the rollan people insisted that they had provisions in place if the snow became too much. The wind blew the powdery snow into beautiful tornado like spirals. I looked back to see Harper lagging behind staring out the window, tugging at his tie uncomfortably. His face was neutral but he seemed extremly subdued. Like he was on some sort of drug.  
  
"Hey Tyr, love the outfit.it's sorta says 'I'm dignified but I'll still cut you'." Beka said looking at his suit and the holster holding his knife that was strapped to his thigh. I hadn't noticed it, it was hidden by his coat but slightly visible when he took a step. Tyr growled at Beka and looked at me.  
  
"I am not entering a room with the Drago Katsov without some means to defend myself." He said sternly. He crossed his arms and tightened his lips.  
  
"Tyr, you know there are no weapons allowed in the diplomatic chamber." I held out my hand and he growled fiercly and then looked away.  
  
"Do I really have to say it?" I said a little frustrated. Tyr knew the rules and we had already discussed our deal. If he helps me out and doesn't beat anyone up he can have a slipfighter.  
  
"Fine, but when we all die I'll be sure to say I told you so with my last dieing breath." Tyr shoved the knife in my hand and walked off angrily. I sighed and Beka walked up beside me.  
  
"You know he's right. If the Drago Katsov find a way to smuggle in a weapon we are all toast."  
  
"If you think Tyr was right then why did you tell on him?" I said a little confused. I was happy she told me but it wasn't her style to snitch.  
  
"Ha.If I can't bring a weapon in then he can't"  
  
"What?" She said when she saw the dumbfounded look I gave her. and I thought I was petty...  
  
"Hey that's only fair. But he was still right for wanting to bring in a weapon.no one is more conniving then the Drago."  
  
"I know don't worry like always I have a plan." I walked off leaving Beka wondering. I so enjoyed doing that.  
  
We finally made it to the chamber and I walked up to see a very tense Tyr, quietly standing next to the door. He breathed in deeply and then turned to me reluctantly.  
  
"Metal detector." He said promptly reaching into his jacket and pulling out another knife. Then he reached around to the back of his pants and pulled out a mini gun and lastly he lifted up his pant leg and pulled out a knife and another mini gun strapped to his leg. He put them all in my hands and we stared at each other. He cleared his throat.  
  
"I don't like the Drago Katsov." He said reluctantly and then strolled in. I looked back at Beka,Trance and Harper who was just as shocked as I was.  
  
"You can never say the man isn't prepared." Harper said walking in behind Tyr. He walked stiffly and awkwardly with his hands jammed deep in his pockets. I just watched him walk in looking totally out of character. Beka walked past me strutting like usual and Trance lingered back with me.  
  
"He'll be alright. This is just stressful with this world looking like earth before the magog and drago came. It just looks like everything is starting over again." She took the weapons from my hand.  
  
"Just tell them I'm sick and couldn't make it to the meeting.I'll take these weapons back to the Andromeda so we won't get caught with them." Trance started to walk off with the assortment of weapons and I called after her.  
  
"Do you think I should talk to him?" I said. Not sure I should have asked her that question. Not sure if I sounded to unsure of myself or too desperate for a close friend. Why did I want Harper as a friend? Why not Tyr or Beka? Why not Trance?  
  
"That's up to you Dylan. Just remember that Harper is Harper." She said without turning around. She continued down the hall and her skin tone matched some parts of the walls exactly making her seem to disappear at times. Her tail drug behind her and she scurried along hoping none of the inhabitance would catch her in the hallway with weapons.. I looked back into the room and watched Harper and Beka idly chit chat. Harper stared at the table linen as if it was some priceless jewel. He picked at it randomly. I sighed and walked in which made all three of the Rollan dignitaries stand and bow in a show of respect. I bowed back and sat next to Harper at the table. He looked up at me quickly and gave me his famous lopsided grin and then looked back down at the table. The Rollan people were a peculiar looking race. They were a greenish yellow color with pale green eyes. They reminded me of green grass and I realized that there color helped them to blend into there environment. Maybe not this wintery one but the sunny one from this morning. Their voices were slightly distorted as if they were underwater. And all of there gestures and manorisims were truly alien to me. I had seen many races but they were so different in so many ways. Normal movements like nodding or waving meant nothing to them.I was prepared for this meeting to run extremely long.  
  
2 hours into the meeting all the members of my crew were getting extremely restless. Harper leaned back in his chair childishly and I squinted at him which made him wince and return to staring at the table cloth. Beka had taken 5 bathroom brakes, each one seeming to last much longer then the last. The Drago had shown up late as usually walking in with an hier of superiority. They sat across from us all 5 of them. The Than representitive, Noon, sat beside Beka watching our exchange of words intentively. She hadn't said anything the whole meeting. Harper found her interesting staring at her every now and then and then whispering to beka which made her giggle. I knew they weren't Highguard and lacked some dicipline but I knew they could do better then this.  
  
"I don't see why you are even listening to the commonwealth. You told them that you wanted to hear from a family unit and they send you this obviously unrelated crew of misfits." Remoir said caustically. He was the leader, the alpha, the big cheese. He sat leasurly eyeing Tyr and shaking his head disaprovingly. The tension was rising and my enternal clock was counting down to the moment when all hell was gonna break loose. Either Harper was gonna scream at the top of his lungs pulling off his tie and throwing it to the ground in a huff before storming out. Or Tyr would throw over the table and attempt to gouge Romir's eyes out in a big display of neitzchean testosteron. I imagined both senerio's and realized that sadly they were both possible. The Rollan leader, Chakra stared at me and I realized I had missed something. He decided to speak for me obviously tired of waiting for me to get my head out of the clouds. Damn...strike one.  
  
"I have spoken to Captain Dylan Hunt about this matter and he assures me that they are a family. Not all families are blood linked. Here on Rollanard It's not uncommon for a family to adopt the less fortunante" Commander Chakra said. He looked over with his pale green eyes and landed on harper. I felt sorry for Harper all of a sudden, It seemed like everyone could see his weaknesses and never his strengths. Harper smiled it off waving condescendingly. I grabbed his hand before it became his infamous one finger salute. Harper might have been viewed as an "inferior or unfortunant being" but he wasn't inferior when it came to insults. I knew that getting Harper wound up would surely get us all in a lot of trouble.  
  
"You seem preoccupied Captain Dylan Hunt. Is something the matter?" Chakra said getting a sarcastic murmur from both Harper and all 5 neitzcheans. I saw a purple glimmer in the door way and excused myself willingly. Whispering in Harper's ear about protocol and how i'd take every sparky cola in the room and throw it out the window if he messed up this meeting I got up and left. I knew I was being hard on him and looking back I could see some dark recentment in his big blue eyes. I walked into the hallway to find Trance.  
  
"Thank you for getting me out of that meeting." I said leaning heavily against the the wall.  
  
"Umm. Your welcome but I don't think your going to be to happy for to much longer." She said biting her lip and rubbing her foot on the back of her other leg.  
  
"Why? What's going on?  
  
"Have you seen outside lately?"  
  
"Ummm.no.The chamber doesn't have any windows."  
  
"Come with me." She pulled me along and I followed without hesitation. I've learned that if there's something this little purple wonder wants to show me I'd be a damned idiot not to go.  
  
"You see.I can't get to the Maru. I can't get rid of the weapons. I hid them in the room but I don't' think that's a safe place." She said as we rounded the corner and I gasped. I couldn't see out of the windows. The snow had completely engolfed every inch of the huge 10 foot windows and we were on the second floor. I was baffled that in two hours the snow had tripled. I didn't know what to say and my first reaction was to panick and run for an exit. I was the kinda guy who had to see for himself.  
  
"I asked one of the local inhabitance and he said that this happens every year and we won't be able to go anywhere for a couple of weeks. We're stuck here Dylan!" Trance said tapping on the window. Suddenly the snow didn't look so beautiful to her.  
  
"Calm down Trance. Chakra told me that there are things in place for times like these. I'm sure there is a way to get off this planet." I said unable to tear my eyes away from what I had at one point thought was amazing. All of a sudden I hated snow.  
  
To Be Continued. 


	3. The Storm: Chapter 3

"What!?" I said with my mouth agape. Romir rolled his eyes and paced back and forth letting his bone spurs twitch.  
  
"See I told you.Something was gonna come along and ruin this.paradise." Harper said gesturing with his hands like usual.  
  
"You guys never listen to me. You need to realize that what The Harper says is truth because."  
  
"The Harper is good?" Trance said innocently rocking from heel to toe.  
  
"That's right baby. Come to big daddy." Harper said waving her over with a big sly grin. Trance skipped over to his position and started petting his hair. He purred happily closing one eye and tapping one foot feverishly like a dog would. The rest of us in the room including Chakra stared unable to digest what we had just seen. We were stuck on a strange planet for god knows how long with a bunch of angry Neitzcheans and a Than and the two of them are.having a good time? The minute I think I understand Harper is when moments like these happen.  
  
"You two are the most annoying creatures I've ever met. Do you not realize the severity of this situation?" Romir said shaking his head in awe. Harper purred louder in response and we all stared a little while longer before we could shake away the weirdness and return to the situation at hand.  
  
"Chakra, I asked you earlier about the snow and you said you had provisions." I said exasperated.  
  
"Yes we have food and water for this situation." Chakra said.  
  
"I can't believe this. When you said provisions I thought you meant you had things in place to get us off this planet like emergency transport vessels.or something."  
  
"Oh no the snow is too great." He nodded turning to leave. I looked around trying to see if I was the only one confused. By the looks on everyone's face I figured that they were just as puzzled as I was.  
  
"Umm.excuse me Chakra. Why in heavens name would you call a meeting if you knew this happens every year and we'd get snowed in." I said really pissed off but still trying to keep my tone even and light. I had other meeting to attend to and I didn't like being stranded on a planet out of contact with my ship.  
  
"I have my reasons. Please make yourselves comfortable. You're stay might be longer then you expected by it can still be a pleasant one." Chakra said rounding the corner. I stared back at Beka and Tyr who looked like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Romir growled loudly and turned to me.  
  
"If I didn't know any better I would say this was a test to see how well we can get along." Romir said looking around at the other neitzcheans in his company. They shook there heads in agreement and I realized that they were yes men. They might have been family to him but you could tell they were treated far less then equal.  
  
"I have to agree with that. I think if we could come to some sort of agreement."  
  
Ha. We don't need an agreement. My family is disciplined and determined. While your.makeshift family obviously has different agenda's and are extremely.immature.." He turned to Harper and Trance who weren't makes our case any better.  
  
"A little to the left.ohh yeah there we go." Harper said as Trance continued to pet him. I gritted my teeth. I knew I shouldn't be but I was a little embarrassed. Romir stepped forward and that's when Tyr made his presence known. He growled loudly and flexed his chest and arm muscles. Compared to Tyr Romir was a formidable adversary but he was still slightly smaller then Tyr and Tyr wasmore then. happy to use the fact to his advantage. Tyr tightened his lips and looked around lazily.  
  
"Watch your step" He said barely putting enough effort forth to move his lips. Romir scowfed but did as he was told. He stepped back and looked us all over before retreating down the hall followed by his thoughtless brothers. I grabbed the bridge of my nose and Beka stepped up beside me.  
  
"Man.If I had my gun." She said tight lipped.  
  
"Beka that's not helping."  
  
"What?" She said at my back as I walked away. I had to think things over.  
  
Six Days Later  
  
To my surprise these last six days have ran smoothly. The first two days were gloomy. Not being able to see outside was a real drag and I realized that even in space we all had a tendency to gaze out of the windows. Harper and Trance did there thing, being the energetic hummingbirds they were. Beka and Tyr did there thing which usually consisted of finding new ways to kill an opponent. The only problem was that I was the odd man out. I'd go over Than legislature and talk with Noon to make sure she wasn't feeling too lonely. The surprising thing was that she was being more social then me. The curious Rollans had never seen a creature like her and found her absolutely amazing. She spent most of her time explaining her abilities, her language, and her home, much to her delight. So once again that left me staring at the walls most of the day. I would have given anything for the Neitzcheans to up rise so I could do something.anything.  
  
Trance and Harper were in a world of there own and trying to talk to him had become impossible. I still had an urge to be close to him but his relationship with Trance seemed to leave no room for anyone else. If I didn't know any better I'd say they had spent there whole lives together. They finished each others sentences and always found something they both wanted to do. Well, until Trance made some potent liquor from mixing a couple of plants together upon Harper's request. Harper being the little hyper lush he is tried to drink it all in one go and that was the only time I had seen them argue on this planet but back on the andromeda they had there little arguments and squabbles all the time. like most of there arguments this one ended with Trance snatching the bottle and running to tell me.  
  
"Dylan take this!" Trance had said running up and tossing me a half empty bottle of some sort of blue liquid.  
  
"Trance!" Harper whined running in a few seconds later and stumbling to a stop.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"I made that and Harpers trying to drink it all."  
  
"You know I'm not here to correct your petty squabbling." I said hating the fact that they ran to me like I'm their father.  
  
"Its liquor Dylan and it was full before he got to it." She whispered loudly.  
  
"Oh" I said realizing why Harper looked so flushed and why his eyes were so glazed.  
  
"Hey, I'm a grown man and I know my limit!" Harper slurred. Trance frowned at me and I grimaced.  
  
"I'll just tuck this away for safe keeping." I said tucking the liquor under my arm. Harper looked furious for about 10 seconds and It looked like he was about to lunge at me. But then his face softened and he turned to Trance.  
  
"Alright. I'm drunk, lets go get something for the hangover I know I'm gonna have tomorrow."  
  
"Ok. Sorry for telling on you. I'm just worried." Trance said sounding childishly mature. She helped the little wobbly man to the door petting his hair.  
  
"Sorry for pulling your hair." Harper said sounding like a 5 year old.  
  
"Wait outside I'll be back in a minute" she said then dashed back into the room to snatch the blue bottle that I had turned up. I had thought the coast was clear but apparently it wasn't.  
  
"Dylan! I knew it." She tucked the bottle into one of her pockets and charged away. I just looked on in shock.  
  
After that day I realized just how much Harper needed Trance. I realized that if I had done what she did I would have probably had to kill him and pry the bottle from his cold dead fingers, which would have just defeated the purpose all together. For some reason things coming from Trance meant so much more to him. I also found out that something was bothering him. The need to smother you life in liquor was the first sign of trying to hide something. Fortunately Trance had caught me before I had stumbled down that same road. Sheer boredom and loneliness had lead me to drinking. I wonder what lead him to drink?  
  
Harper had been Making up weird holidays that both him and Trance forced us all to celebrate. The strange thing was that they'd have to force us to participate but toward the end we couldn't help but enjoy ourselves. Even Tyr had lightened up, drinking and telling stories. Even if they consisted of murder and betrayal they caught Beka, Harper's and even innocent Trance's attention. I'd watch Try tell his stories in his manly tone gesturing every now and then to show how big or how tall the enemy was and I could see that he truly enjoyed having them listen so intently.especially Trance and Harper. I caught him giving Harper some lighthearted noogies on a couple of different occasions. Hearing them laughing together was both good and bad. Good because they were working together and getting along and bad because it made me feel awful. The fact that a big overbearing Nietzchean like Tyr could win his trust when I couldn't made me feel beyond inferior. I'd look on usually only speaking when spoken to. After these few days watching my crew bond like I had never seen them bond before I could only wonder if they were pushing me out or if I was making it impossible for them to accept me. Should I try harder? It seemed like now the fault lied with me. I didn't try to be social.My need for control wouldn't allow me to let my guard down long enough to stop being the captain and start being a friend.  
  
Today was Funky blue Marshmallow day. Like usual Trance and Harper found something amazing in the most unexpected places and decided to dedicate the day to it and like usual we all protested but by know I think we were just running on habit. We felt it wouldn't be as much fun if we didn't fight it first. Playing hard to get is the best part. They had decided awhile ago to try something new in the cafeteria everyday and they had stumbled across these things that resembled marshmallows so they decided to roast the funky blue marshmallow thingies over an open fire in one of the perpetual gardens. We all entered the garden at the specified time wondering just what they had in store for us today. We looked around the huge room we had stepped into and it looked like another world. It was a paradise, Burbling brooks and strange colorful birds. The grass was a deep shade of healthy green and the various birds and animals made there various calls. It was late so the lights had been turned down in the garden to re-create the time of day for the plants. A plethora of greens, purples and reds filled all the trees and shrubs and I could feel a small breeze which made my skin goose bump. We all turned in circles trying to take it all in. The sound of the steady moving water and the smell of the flowers were soothing and I found myself smiling. A rustling came from behind a bunch of bushes and Tyr instantly tensed up. Trance and Harper poked their heads out and he relaxed blinking with annoyance. Trance jumped out the bushes ecstatic as usual.  
  
"Come on guys we found the best place!" She said running back into the bushes. I could hear Harper and Trance whispering and smothering laughter. Tyr walked through the brush hesitantly then Beka and then I stepped through bumping into them. I looked up at what they were staring at and my breath caught. The ceiling rippled with a blue light. It was mesmerizing and I couldn't' tear my eyes away. Beka Tapped me on my shoulder and pointed. I diverted my eyes to the huge clear blue lake that sat neatly in the lush green vines and dense brush. The water was so clear that I could see to the sandy bottom and schools of bright yellow and orange little fish swam in curious little circles. I looked over to tyr and all the tension that seemed to make up the neitzchean had melted away. Trance stood by the heavenly lagoon in a purple bathing suit. The deep green grass between her little purple toes made a stimulating visual. She grinned happily and then dived in. She swam like a fish and the contrast of her purple skin against the blue water and the schools of curious fish that circled her made the scene sing with beauty. She finally came up for air on our bank and brushed her wet hair out of her face.  
  
"Come on in guys!" She smiled.  
  
"This place is beautiful Trance." I said breathy and Beka nodded her agreement already removing her shoes. I smiled at her and remembered that her nick name was firecracker. She jumped, tucked in her legs and cannon balled into the lagoon causing all the fish to run for cover. Trance and Beka immediately started to splash each other and squeal little girly squeals that made Tyr chuckle softly. Harper walked up behind us and handed us a tropical looking drink. He was bare chested wearing some loose fitting swimming trunks. I realized that he wasn't as skinny as I imagined him to be. Tyr seemed to be analyzing his muscle and stature as well. Oddly Harper didn't seem so weak anymore and he seemed older and more mature.  
  
"Don't worry Dylan. Trance made these drinks then hid the bottle somewhere." Harper chugged his back like usual and just like Beka he cannon balled into the water getting the girls attention. Harper being the big tough guys he was refused to squeal but I could tell that he wanted to. He was having so much fun and I wanted to join but I think the same thing that was keeping Tyr out of the water was keeping me out of the water as well. The fear of being rejected and the fear that we would loose the clout we had. We both used fear and intimidation to get what we wanted. Tyr brute strength and cunning, me.well, I'd use strength and andromeda. Harper swam over to where Tyr was lounging and asked him to come in. When he said no Harper commenced to splashing him with so much water that he looked like he had just been in the pool anyway. Tyr growled and pulled off his chainmail angrily which made Harper whimper and swim away as fast as he could. Tyr dived in and swam lightning fast after Harper. I laughed out loud and the girls followed. The chase lasted a few minutes before Tyr caught him and dunked him a few times. The girls came to his rescue and it turned into one big try-to-dunk-the-neit fest. Tyr was smiling and laughing and running around in the water. It was good to see he could have some fun. I sat at the water's edge watching them all have fun and I fell deep in thought. I know I was supposed to be trying to talk to Harper but I never knew what to say. He seemed so out of reach most of the time and I felt like I'd be bothering him if I tried to take him to the side for a talk. I don't even know what Harper likes to talk about. Sure he talks about girls and the projects he's working on but for some reason that seems like a front and it seems like there's more going on behind those big blue eyes. All I know is that I want him as a friend. I'm still not sure why. It's something about him that I know I need, Like those friends who are opposite and feed off of each other. Like a shy friend who gets courage from an outgoing friend.  
  
"Will you be my friend?" said a 5 year old me.  
  
"Sure?" said a 5 year old Harper.  
  
I frowned to myself deeply. If only it were that easy.  
  
Hours past and they had all passed the pruning stage and were drying off. Trance was admiring Tyr's hair while Harper Talked to him about how he keeps his chainmail from rusting. Beka picked a few flowers and put them in her hair and then put a few in Harper's hair much to his protest.  
  
"Come on guys it's time to roast the marshmallow thingies." Harper's voice trailed off which made us realize that even he didn't know what the hell they were. We trudged a little farther into the jungle until we got to a clearing. We looked up to see stars that were obviously projected onto the ceiling but they looked almost real. The crickets sung there songs amongst other noises I had never heard before. Tyr gathered the wood and lit the fire because he could do it the fastest and insisted it that it be done right. We started roasting the weird things and found that they tasted pretty damn good. Trance pulled out the bottle of liquor and we all looked around wondering just where the heck she had pulled it from. We all shrugged and started passing it around. Soon Tyr got into his story telling mood and we all laid around listening intently, laughing and gasping.  
  
"You killed him?" Trance said wide eyed.  
  
"I had to or he would have killed me" Tyr said taking another deep swig.  
  
"Wow I don't know what I would have done in that situation." Beka said taking the bottle and taking it to the head sharply She wavered slightly and then past the bottle. I took the bottle and took a deep swallow.  
  
"I would have killed him too. That's a hard decision to make." Tyr nodded as I passed Harper the bottle. He took two large swigs that got Trances attention. He laughed it off and handed her the bottle. Trance took it and gulped down swallow after swallow. We all stared in awe. She finally let up and wiped her mouth.  
  
"Good stuff. I hate hearing about anyone die but you did what you had to do Tyr." She nodded and Tyr nodded back having a new level of respect for her. Harper elbowed Trance in shock and they both stared at each other before falling into a drunken fit of laughter.  
  
"Dylan, why don't you tell a story." Harper said after regaining his composure.  
  
"what, who.huh?" I heard myself slur and was amazed that it was me.  
  
"Yeah, I bet you have some stories to tell. Come on!" Harper said cheering me on which got the rest of the gang into an uproar.  
  
"Ok, ok. What kinda story?"  
  
"Well, geez Dylan. It can't be porn or anything." Harper looked around in mock exasperation and we all laughed.  
  
"Get your mind out of the gutter little one." Tyr said shaking his head and taking another man sized swig.  
  
"Alright. Once upon a time.." I started which got little blue marshmallow thingies pelted at my head.  
  
"Hey! Hey! Give the story a chance!" I said laughing hysterically. I was having fun for the first time in too long and I was drunk off my ass for the first time in a long time too. I looked over at Harper who was dunk as hell like the rest of us and was having the time of his life. I then realized why I wanted to be his friend so bad. It was because I couldn't imagine having this much fun without him. My story was a hit that night. Everyone laughed and cheered but soon Harper and Trance's eyes started to droop and Beka's attention started to drift and I knew it was time to get some sleep. I looked over to Tyr who was already fast asleep and laughed to myself.  
  
"Those mega gulps took its toll" I whispered more to myself then to anyone.  
  
"Night all." Harper said sleepily, finally crashing for the night.  
  
"Night Harper" I said before I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and I drifted into what Harper likes to call "la la land"  
  
To Be Continued.... 


	4. chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Consciousness slowly washed over me. The first thing I noticed was just how hot it was. My skin felt like it was burning but I was too lazy and drunk to move. I assumed it was morning and the heat was coming from the artificial sun. The fact that I was still drunk the next morning wasn't a good sign. What was that stuff Trance made? Note to self: don't let trance fix your drinks. End of note. I could hear the birds chirping and small groans coming from the rest of my crew who apparently were still as drunk as I was...and in Harper's case he probably was just as drunk as he was last night. Especially since he drank me under the table and he has the system of a refugee camp drifter. The grass tickled my arms and legs bringing a much necessary stimulation to my body. I felt like I had been in an sensory depravation tank. The feel of the grass was almost hypnotizing. My stomach flip flopped and I remembered just how many blue thingies I ate last night which made me groan even louder. I couldn't believe that I was an 340 year old man...give or take a few years...and I still was getting so drunk that I couldn't' remember what I did the night before. I was ashamed but oddly amused. I smiled quietly to myself remembering just how hammered I was and how good it felt. Suddenly a nice cool fell over me. I opened my eyes slowly to figure out what was blocking the heat. A tall form stood over me. I squinted harder but all I could make out was the color green...shit.  
  
"Chakra?" I said hesitantly, still not willing to move from my positon.  
  
"Captain Dylan Hunt." He said in an unamused tone.  
  
"I can explain all of this...we were just having a few drinks. We did nothing to harm ..."  
  
My words were cut off when I saw long white sheets of a papery substance strewn all over the surrounding foliage. Chakra followed my eyes and grimaced and then looked back at me. damn...strike two  
  
"Oh..." I said as two scaly green hands belonging to a huge Rollan reached down and grabbed me yanking me up much to fast for my stomach to handle. I could feel the once tasty blue marshmallows turning into hot bile and traveling up my throat.  
  
"Oh he's gonna spew..." I could hear Harper slur. Then I letta rip letting thick blue sludge cover Chakra's big green feet. I looked up wiping my mouth woefully...  
  
"Marshmallows..." was all I could say before the world went black...my last thoughts were ....damn strike three, i'm out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I woke up much like I did before. The heat wasn't there...it was nice and cool but the drunkenness remained. I opened my eyes and looked around. Surprisingly I wasn't shocked to see bars. This was far from the first time I had been locked away and this cell wasn't so bad. It was a little small, just tall enough for me to stand up. It smelled damp and rank like inmates had peed on the walls and floors. From the looks of the cell they would have to...there wasn't anytype of facilities. I was in a caged box, nothing more. I sat up slowly rubbing my head...  
  
"Beka?..Tyr?...Harper?...Trance?" I said trying to get the vomit taste out of my mouth. They all made there presence known sounding equally as drunk as I was...some more then others. We were in different cells. Harper and Trance were in the cell in front of mine across the room...while Beka and Tyr were in the cell next to mine. My eyes angrily landed on Harper. I knew that only Harper could do something so stupid. So spontaneous and immature. Times like these I wonder why I'm wasting my time trying to know him. The short little guy in the cell in front of me who was a ticking time bomb of pent up emotion. I couldn't read him...I didn't even know if the emotions that he let surface were real or whether they were just placeholders for his real ones. Gathering up enough potency to burst forth and shatter everything around him. His face twitched and for a second there was anger and sadness all rolled up but then just like always...it turned back into Harper's usual face. The one where you can't help but feel sorry for him cause he seems so small and so stunted. I think that's what he wants us to feel. Sorry for him...sorry enough that we won't ask too much of him...ask him something ridiculous like...I don't know...to feel maybe.  
  
"Dylan, just say it...but in my defense I was drunk you know." Harper said looking at Trance who nodded her agreement. Harper stumbled a little and Trance caught him looked very guilty and I realized that she must have helped him in his little late night sabotage. I shook my head in disbelief. Both Harper and Trances remorseful faces combined were hard to cope with...it would be like spanking an injured puppy. But this had to be dealt with and I knew that both of them were far from this cute. I knew that for both of them this cuteness was a defense mechanism. One they used one to many times.  
  
"What the hell did you do...where did you get the idea to do...whatever it was that you did?" I said not even attempting to hold back my anger.  
  
"Well, it's an old ancient earth joke...it's call T-P'ing." He grinned but it slowly faded when he realized I didn't find it funny.  
  
"Come on Dylan...lighten up...I doubt they put us in the brig for toilet papering a few shrubs...well, a lot of shrubs...But that's not the point. Something else has to be going on here...I mean, they knocked you out and dragged us down here like we killed someone." Harper said pointing to my face. I reached up and grimaced at the tender skin around my eye. I guess I didn't black out on my own accord then...  
  
"Harper..." I said angrily but was cut off by the door at the end of the hallway opening. Light flooded the chamber revealing part of the room that was once shrouded in complete darkness. The room was huge filled with rows and rows of cages. some hanging from the ceiling...others partially submerged in water. We seemed to be the only captives in this room. I stood on my wobbly legs waiting for the world to stop spinning and waiting for my eyes to adjust to the barrage of light.  
  
Chakra and Romir stepped in. Romir smirked at Tyr obviously playing on the fact that we were behind bars while he walked around freely. Tyr growled at romir but it was muffled by drunkenness and Harper snickered to himself.  
  
"Way to go Tyr...grrr" Harper teased which got him a deadly look hurled his way. Chakra held up his hand and silenced the room. Never before had I seen him look the way he did. He seemed tense and he looked to be struggling for control...like he could explode with anger at any minute. The extra light helped me to survey the condition of my crew. Tyr seemed fine but he swayed a little frowning at his own unsteadiness. Beka, well Beka seemed like she was asleep. I realized that she wasn't use to drinking, in fact that might have been her first time. She laid propped up on the back wall of the cell completely oblivious to what was going on around her. Trance seemed fine, bouncing from heel to toe like usual which made me a little uneasy. She drank just as much as we did. Harper was flushed and sweaty and like anyone with a hangover his breathing was compromised in an attempt to keep himself from throwing up. Trance was keeping an eye on him in her Trance kinda way.  
  
"Captain Dylan Hunt. I did not expect this from you. I had high hopes for you and your family. I'm usually a good judge of character but I finally understand why our planet was cut off from your worlds. You cannot be trusted. It is a shame that it took such a tragedy for me to understand the horrible danger and savagery of the universe."  
  
"Chakra...I have to apologize for the actions of my crew and I will take full responsibility for ...uh...TP'ing your garden and of course for.uh..."  
  
"Spewing on his foot?" Trance said smiling which made Harper chuckle.  
  
"Do not make light of this. You and your crew are charged with 3 counts of murder and are sentenced to death by the hands of the victims mourning family." Chakra said tightening his lips and squaring his shoulders.  
  
"What!?" I said loudly. Harper stepped up to the bars of his cage holding his stomach.  
  
"We didn't kill anyone!...what proof do you have!" Harper shouted. Harper's face was turning red and I could tell that his drunken state was making this situation even more horrifying then it was.  
  
"During our search we found recently fired weapons in your room. Is that not proof enough?" Chakra said. Harper looked down at the ground swearing under his breath.  
  
"What motive would we have to kill anyone here?" I said exasperated.  
  
Chakra pulled the empty bottle that was once full of the potent liquor Trance had made from one of his pockets.  
  
"Motive is not necessary when you are under the influence of something as potent as this concoction" Chakra said throwing the bottle at my feet. It shattered into pieces and the loud clatter echoed off of the walls making me flinch. I couldn't remember what we did last night.all I could remember was entering the perpetual garden.could we have done something in our drunken state? The noise woke Beka up with a start and she looked around feverishly.  
  
"What!" She said spooked and trying to jump to her feet but failing miserably.  
  
"I think I'm still drunk.I feel sick." She said turning green. Tyr grimaced.  
  
"You killed a good friend of mine...as well as strong family providers. If I could kill you myself I would." Chakra sneered revealing little blunt herbivore teeth.  
  
"Chakra...we didn't do it...you have to believe us...at least perform an investigation. It wasn't us!" Chakra turned his back and stormed out of the room.  
  
"You will die by the hands of the victims mourning family in 3 hours." Chakra said before exiting. Romir started walking out but turned around at the door.  
  
"Bang. Bang. Bang..."he said he blew mock exhaust from his mock weapon represented by his finger. He grinned and walked out, closing the door behind him and once again shrouding the room in darkness.  
  
"I think it's time for you to share with us your heroic plan of escape" Tyr said cutting through the silence. I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.  
  
"Tyr, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had followed my orders." Tyr scoffed and fell quiet. I sat back and started to think. We did need a plan of escape. Suddenly the sound of Beka throwing up and Tyr screaming filled the room.  
  
"Sorry Tyr." Beka mumbled through the dark.  
  
To Be Continued. 


	5. chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
"Tyr?"  
  
"Yes little man?" Tyr said with obvious irritation.  
  
"I wouldn't mind hearing a story of yours to kill some time before they kill us." Harper said in a soft defeated voice. I grimaced at the sound of a defeated Harper. His voice was never that of hope and determination.but it usually harbored more sentiment and good faith then that.  
  
"I'd tell a story but I don't want to interrupt Dylan when he finally comes up with a plan of escape" The Venom was dripping from his words as he spoke.  
  
"Well, it seems that captain terrific isn't so.er.terrific today" Harper said getting grunts of agreement for the rest of the crew, even Beka chimed in.  
  
"Well, he's getting old.he needs more time." She wheezed.  
  
"You know.I'm sitting right here." I said feeling the rage rise within.since when did this predicament become my fault?.I guess it's my fault cause I'm the captain and all blame lies on me? Harper scoffed mouse like and huddled next to Trance who openly took him in her arms.  
  
"Do any of you guys actually remember what happened last night?" I said. I looked around thankful that my eyes had adjusted to the point where I could at least see there outlines. I felt comforted in the fact that I could see that my crew was all right.even if they were bashing me. I honestly couldn't remember a thing and I was worried that there was no way to prove our innocents. What i didn't understand was how those weapons in our rooms were recently fired. It seemed like a set up to me.  
  
"I remember sitting around the fire telling stories and then after that everything is fuzzy." Tyr said feeling out of control and lost.  
  
"Same here.I don't remember much either.just flashes." Harper said squeezing the bridge of his nose while trance played with his hair with her tail. It seemed like they couldn't help but be constantly making contact with each other.  
  
"I remember that I got up and woke up Trance.told her my idea.and we were gonna wake up Beka to help us.but she was gone and so was Tyr." Harper said glaring at Tyr and Beka.  
  
"I know what you're thinking and we didn't kill anyone." Beka said sounding stern.  
  
"Can you remember where you went?"  
  
"no."  
  
"Tyr?"  
  
"Well I have nothing to prove.I know I didn't kill anyone.I had no purpose and I'm not one to kill for sport."  
  
"Since when?" Harper said bitterly. I couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Why does it matter now anyway.they have already decided we are guilty." Beka said from her seated position.  
  
"Shouldn't Rom-doll be causing havoc right about now? You know.since her crew is gone." Harper said with irritation. I could never take his irritation seriously which in turn just added to his irritation...it was a never ending cycle.  
  
"Well, there isn't anything she could do.not in these conditions.Even if she found out we were being held captive.she couldn't save us.we're on our own" I said shifting so my back was against the wall. I put my head in my hands and the quiet filled the room once again. I could feel our camraderie slipping away with every passing second. Even in the face of all this danger...I still wanted to know Harper. He still intrigued me to the point where I found myself staring at him and wondering what he was thinking and what defense mechanisms he was usuing. I was in awe of his stature.I didn't know a grown man could be so small, so boyish. Yet he was a grown man nonetheless and should be treated as such.something a lot of the crew members didn't understand namely me. I flashed back to when I tried to adjust his tie. He just had seemed so young and vulnerable. I constantly have this urge to help him and to be there for him. To be the person he can talk to a person that he knows will always listen. I also needed someone I could talk to. Someone not commonwealth...someone who new how to have a good time.  
  
"Tyr if you don't tell a story I'll get tTance to tell one." Harper said getting several gasps and pleads for him to reconsider.  
  
Just then the door opened letting light flood in once again. Tyr jetted up from where he was holding beka in his arms.and flexed menacingly at the newcomer. He was bare-chested.after beka had "spewed" on his he must have taken off his shirt. Harper and Trance had noticed the light but decided not to react, just sitting there soaking in each others company. I wondered if there was a lot more to there relationship then they put on.I wondered if they were a lot more then just best friends. The sexuality that oozed off of them when they were together was enough to set a nietzchens heart a flutter. I heard footsteps and turned back to the situation at hand. Through the door came a tall green thuggish Rollan walking in carrying what looked like would be our last meals. Green unappetizing pellets of condensed vegetables and some foreign thick looking drink resembling milk but 5 times as dense. I could see both Trance and Harper shudder at the sight of the food once they finally decided to look up. Tyr stood by his bars watching the Rollan pass obviously sizing him up and looking for a weak point. Beka looked around sheepishly feeling the mind fuzz you get after being extremely drunk. The fuzz that prevents you from focusing or putting intelligent sentences together.  
  
"Aren't we suppose to be able to choose our last meal?" Harper said frowning even more deeply when the Rollan stopped in front of his cell showed his teeth. Harper was irritable and groggy and I didn't blame him. We had been here for an hour and none of us had come up with a plan of escape. We just sat in silence thinking that maybe, just maybe we wouldn't' get out of this one. And that maybe my idealism had finally gotten us all killed.  
  
"Well, if your taking orders I'd like to have." Trance started up but was cut off.  
  
"Murders will eat what we tell them to!" The mammoth of a Rollan said jerking forward to intimidate Trance who promptly ducked behind Harper and even though Harper was shorter and smaller then trance he still tried to shield her out of sheer habit and sheer love. It was a cute display and showed just how big Harper's heart was. The one he was so afraid to show anyone else but Trance.  
  
"You know..what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty. Are we even going to get a trial or you just gonna give us this slop and then wack us?" Harper said. He had stepped up to the bars challenging the Rollans authority, a glint was in his blue eyes and I could hear an accent sneak into his voice. Like all his energy was being used to fuel his anger and there wasn't enough left to cover his thick boston slurs. I had never heard it before.it was so choppy and broken. The Huge Rollan growled loudly and threw Harpers Tray against the bars spraying the thick white milk sludge all over harper. I was quietly amused at the fact that his first reaction was to check his hair. Trance gasped and rage burned behind Harper's eyes as he tried to scrap the sludge off his face. It was as if something snapped. It was weird to see him like this. Of course Harper gets angry.makes snide remarks or gestures..but he never looked like this. Harper ran for the bars and wildly grabbed at the rollan who had stepped back by this time.  
  
"You shouldn't have come here. None of you should.especially some little inferior kludge with his little purple whore." The rollan said sneering. I didn't know what to think and I could hear Beka, and Tyr's breath catch quietly in our throats like they had seen an instance like this happen where harper completely flipped out. We all knew very well that Harper never liked anyone talking about Trance but I had the feeling from the looks on Tyr and Beka's face that they had witnessed the reprocussions from talking about Trance first hand.  
  
"I swear when I get out of here I'm gonna rip you to shreds. You can call me a kludge if you'd like.Hell that names a lot better then other things I've been called but you don't talk about my girl!" Harper continued to struggle knowing he couldn't reach him but feeling the need to continue to try just in the slim chance that he might actually get him and be able to regain the dignity the Rollan had just stolen from him and his "girl". The big green man laughed, further angering Harper. He knelt before each of our cells and lifted a hatch sliding our trays in ignoring Harper's threats. He turned back to Harper who was still steaming with anger. His teeth were clamped tight and his face was flush red.  
  
"When I kill you I'm gonna make sure you suffer extra long." Harper said giving him the finger. The Rollan just laughed at him again.  
  
"You are nothing but pathetic little human. I will savor the moment when you die knowing that the trash has been taken out." He said in a husky voice then walked out the door as gracefully as he had come in. Both silence and Darkness hung heavily over the room. My eyes adjusted back to just seeing outlines again but I was grateful for that. Trance walked over to Harper and started rubbing his back and I could see the anger slowly melting away.  
  
"I lost my temper" He said stating the obvious.  
  
"Yeah you did.It was kinda scary." Trance said innocently turning Harper around.  
  
"Well, I don't like people talking about you and.We might die in an hour or two so." Harper said looking down at the ground. Trance smiled knowingly. She lifted his chin whispered something in his ear and then kissed him softly immediately following it by a big warm embrace.  
  
"You know that's like incest" Beka said smiling at the two of them. They broke their hug and laughed.  
  
"Harper?"  
  
"Yes your majesty" Harper said seeming to let all his frustrations out on me for some odd reason. It was probably cause I hadn't come up with a plan to save them yet but all that was about to change.  
  
"I've got a plan and I think only you can do it." I said which sparked his interest. I had noticed a long time ago that he liked the feeling of being needed. He became self destructive when he felt worthless. And once again his mood shifted gear in a matter of a second.  
  
"What is it boss.I'll do anything to get out of this rank, vomit smelling hellhole" Harper said looking at Beka who shrugged.  
  
"I couldn't help it" She said looking at Tyr who seemed to get choked up and disgusted every time we brought it up. I laughed at the fact that something like that could traumatize the big neitzchean.  
  
"So what's the plan" Harper said impatiently starting to bounce and get his old Harper groove back.  
  
"I'm thinking since it's been so long since the Rollan people have had visitors from other planets that these cells were built only to keep Rollans in.and since you are very obviously not a Rollan and not.er.built to there specs.." I said  
  
"You think I might be able to slip through the hatch down there huh?" Harper said sizing it up. It would be a tight squeeze but it looked like he'd be able to get through.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt but I don't think Harper will be able to fit through there.I mean just look at the size of his head." Beka said teasingly.  
  
"I didn't know you were looking"  
  
"I meant the one on your shoulders."  
  
"That's what I'm talking about too.what are you talking about?" Harper said with a sly smile playing on his voice. everyone groaned.  
  
"Just squeeze through there so we can get out of here!" Tyr bellowed.  
  
"Alright, alright I'm .squeezing."  
  
"I think removing your clothes would make it easier to get through." Tyr said nonchalantly after about 5 minuets of Harper struggling went by.  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"I agree. We promise we won't look." I said finding this situation more then funny. I had to stifle my laughter just imagining the look Harper must have had on his face.  
  
"I will" Trance said raising her hand.  
  
"I don't' think I can do this.what if there are surveillance cameras?" He whispered looking around.  
  
"Since when are you so modest! Get naked and slip through that hatch or I swear." Tyr said obviously ready to launch off into one of his usual speeches of hope and survival followed up by a threat of course.  
  
"You know.you're a little to eager for me to strip. One would think."  
  
"HARPER!!" we all shouted in unison.  
  
"Ok, ok.Turn around!" He shouted loudly and we all scooted and turned our backs to him. I groaned in annoyance as I heard Trance giggle and Harper whisper.  
  
"Trance.this isn't a show.this is serious."  
  
"I know, I know.but wow I didn't know you had a mole right there on."  
  
"TRANCE!"  
  
"Will you hurry already! We don't have time for this childishness." Tyr practically screamed. I could hear Trance pouting which was funny.and I heard a lot of shuffling and scooting.  
  
"I can't fit." Harper said straining. Beka burst out laughing.  
  
"I'm sorry but this conversation is just wrong..I mean.come on there's enough innuendo's here to last Harper a lifetime." She said between chuckles.  
  
"Beka you better not be looking!!" Harper said with horror.  
  
"I'm not I'm not.." She said continuing to laugh.  
  
"Maybe if we oil you up you can slip through" Trance said. I could hear a slight evilness in her voice and Beka burst out laughing again followed by Tyr who's laughter was strange to hear but only seemed to fuel Beka's laughter.  
  
"There is no way I'm gonna "oil" up with that milk shit." Harper said getting a gasp from Trance.  
  
"Harper."  
  
"Watch my language.I know.but we don't even know what that stuff is.it might give me a rash."  
  
"What's more important...you life or your skin care?" I said trying to erase all traces of laughter from my voice but I failed.  
  
"Alright, alright but you guys owe me big time.this is above and beyond the call of duty..You owe me like.medals and dinner and.  
  
"JUST DO IT!" we all shouted.even trance seemed to be getting exasperated  
  
"Hehe.Trance..that tickles" Harper whispered and I rolled my eyes.  
  
"You are officially oiled sir!" Trance yelled.  
  
"YES SIR YES SIR!" Harper yelled back.  
  
"Hey.I'm through.the milk.stuff really worked" I could hear the smile in his voice.  
  
"Trance hand me my clothes." Harper said but he could hear Beka snickering.  
  
"BEKA!!!" Harper bellowed.  
  
"Sorry I couldn't help it.but I must say.I'm impressed." Beka said and Harper whimpered angrily.  
  
"I feel dirty.you guys can turn around now I'm decent." He said we all turned around to see Harper standing outside his cell looking a little put out about what he had to do. He stared at Beka with both embarrassment and hate.  
  
"Harper go over to that door and see if you can figure out how to open these cells."  
  
"Right on it boss" He walked over to the door.then followed a cord on the wall walking out of our vision. I looked over at Trance who looked concerned biting her bottom lip.  
  
"Whallah!" Harper said as the cell doors opened a few minuets later.  
  
"Who's the best.oh you're the best.oh stop it ..no really you're the best!" Harper said holding his own dialogue. It was time to get serious. I wondered why we hadn't been serious about this already but realized that that's just how we worked. Tyr was the first out of his cell and to the door.  
  
"What about you shirt Tyr?" Beka said. Tyr froze and his shoulders tightened.and we all had to stifle a laugh.  
  
It was strange how well we worked together even in the face of such impending danger. I watched my crew struggle with the controls for the door. Bickering lightly while Harper tried not to look at beka in the eye. This was gonna be a long day.  
  
"So Dylan.even if we get outside these doors..what do we do then?" Harper said and the room grew quiet. That was a good question.what would we do? 


	6. Chapter 6

Getting out of the door wasn't hard, not with a proclaimed genius and an angry neitchean around. One used technical means to open it half way while the other used brute strength to finish the job. We suddenly realized that we were in the bowls of the building amongst all the pipes and ventilation shafts that keeps a building of this size working. We crawled among the low intricate webbing of pipes figuring that walking down the main hall would be suicide. Harper scooted in the lead and he seemed oddly comfortable there, like he had done operations like this before, which I'm pretty sure he had, fleeing from magog and nietzhean attacks. He moved masterfully ducking and jumping and rolling at such a fast pace that it seemed like he had a picture of the floor plans already in his head. He was conscious of me and Tyr's bulk and size and took the bigger of the paths to shimmy through. Our dirty journey was mostly quiet aside from the random "Stop it Trances" He'd whine while he swatting Trances hand away every time she pinched his butt.  
  
"Like the view?" Beka said peering back and seeing me dazedly staring at her rotund bottom.  
  
"Oh I was just thinking..." which was the truth, I wasn't even thinking about her butt, it was in my line of vision, but now that she mentioned it...mmmhmmm.  
  
"Sure...just thinking, staring at my butt?"  
  
"Well, there's nothing else to stare at." I said matter-a-factly.  
  
"Are you implying my butt is big?" She said with her anger slowly rising. Harper gulped and Trance frantically looked for cover. Tyr just looked on with amusement. Our little march had come to a quick halt and all eyes were on me.  
  
"No, I was just saying that it was just so breathtaking I couldn't look anywhere else." I said backpedaling for life. She grunted and turned back around.  
  
"Are we gonna go or what?" She motioned angrily.  
  
"I'm goin' I'm goin'." Harper said picking up his pace. It was extremely hot crawling under all these steaming pipes. I wiped my brow and cursed my idealism. I still didn't have a plan, We were playing this one by ear. I had a few questions that needed to be answered though. Where had Beka and Tyr gone during the night? They were the only ones who had a key to our room to get the weapons, fire them, and then place them back. But why would they do that? I looked at the back of Beka's head. Would she really she really do this? I looked passed her to Tyr and I had not doubt that he was capable of something so meaningless. This whole situation boiled down to trust. Did I trust them?  
  
"This would be a whole lot easier if you didn't smell like curdled milk and Tyr didn't smell like vomit, creating this cosmic stench I'm lost for words to describe." Trance said wheezing desperately.  
  
"I don't smell that bad..." Harper said and Tyr grunted. Trance backed up giving Harper a nice big lead covering her nose with the collar of her shirt.  
  
"Harper, I think we should go this way." Trance piped in seeing the two possible paths.  
  
"Why? This ways bigger...Dylan and Tyr can't fit through that, hell you can't fit through that." Harper said irritably steadily heading down the opposite path.  
  
"Harper, really I think this is the wrong way..." She was cut off by a huge blast of steam that seemed to engulf the engineer. Trance covered her mouth to keep her from crying out. She tried to shuffle towards him but Tyr grabbed her by her tail.  
  
"It's not safe." He muttered sadly watching the cloud of steam twist and turn on itself. The steam slowly started to dissipate and Beka had managed to scramble up beside Trance in the cramped space. The thick ozone was unbearable and breathing became laborious but we didn't care. We had to see if there was a possibility that Harper had lived.  
  
"Harper! If you can hear me! Answer!" I called. There was nothing and my eyes started to water and my chin started to quiver. I could hear both trance and Beka trying to console each other. While Tyr looked up trying to blink away the emotions that were rising to the surface.  
  
"Trance?" Came a small voice ahead. Trance raised her head off of beka's shoulder with a snap and looked around expecting to see his ghost.  
  
"Harper! Are you ok!?"  
  
", I'm just a little roasted." He mumbled coughing wildly. Trance scrambled after him motioning for use to stay behind. She's looked to be oblivious to the possibility that she too could get burned. A minute seemed like forever and finally Beka's patience ran out.  
  
"What's going on!!" she yelled hugging herself and preparing for the worst. It was always odd to see how much she cared for the little guy. He wasn't an old friend, or family, he was just some guy she picked up on earth a few years back but in that time she had learned to love him more then she even loved herself.  
  
"Trance!" Beka growled at the black blanket ahead of us.  
  
"He's over here." Trance called and Beka was instantly relieved. She literally shot over and I looked over to Tyr to see him wiping his eyes. Seamus Zelazny Harper...If he only knew how much we cared.  
  
We crawled over and we saw just how Harper had survived the scorching mist. It was a huge opened hatch that lead into another pipe. We jumped down into the huge pipe next to trance and Beka who were looking over Harper . The pipe was large enough for us to sit upright in and we looked over Trance treating harpers wounds. He laid on his stomach with his mouth hanging open in agony. He writhed under Trances touch and she instantly regretted . I flinched when she lifted his shirt to show the scorched skin on his back and neck. He must have fell into this huge pipe just before the steam spewed out but it had had a chance to scorch his back, neck and hands. His skin looked filmy and already plasters started to form. All over his red, black and blue skin. He groaned while Trance looked at his injury with frustration because she didn't have anything to help him with. Beka watched intently while Tyr crawled down the tunnel somewhat.  
  
"How bad is it?" She demanded.  
  
"It's bad; I've never dealt with a burn this sever..." She trailed off, leaving out the part that she had no idea what to do. But we all picked it up. Beka pushed back a strand of Harper's hair that was soaked from his sweat while he struggled for breath.  
  
"Did you fix it?" Harper grunted. We all looked at each other figuring his words were the effect of delirium. We knew it was best to just feed into it.  
  
"Yes, I fixed it Harper." Beka said trying to sooth him  
  
"Good, I didn't bring my gel with me." He said chuckling and we all laughed despite the seriousness of the situation. His nonchalance about his own possible demise made me overwhelmingly sad. Covering everything up with humor...all the way to the bitter end. His chuckle launched him into a coughing fit that wracked his body and drained his face 4 shades. Beka burst out crying. She wanted to hold him but hesitated 'cause of the burns.  
  
"God damnit! I can't even hold his hand!" She yelled in frustration and sorrow.  
  
"I suggest we move, This seems to be an exhaust pipe of some sort." Tyr said and we knew he was right but we were thinking with our heart and not in the mood to hear logic.  
  
"Harper..." Beka whispered. He looked already dead. His eyes just staring forward void of any feeling or emotion. He laid on his stomach and he breathed like a fish out of water drawing in it's last few breaths.  
  
"Turn around." Trance said with a furrowed brow.  
  
"What?" I said while beka refused to look away from Harper, she refused to leave him alone.  
  
"Turn around. Just trust me."  
  
"There has to be something you can do Trance." Beka weeped.  
  
"Trust me." She said positioning herself better to do whatever she had planned. Our stares lingered but we knew we'd do as she said. We just had to make sure we were using both our hearts and our logic to make this decision. I assumed Trance was gonna help him along in his passing. Beka leaned into me blubbering incoherent things about Harper. We looked away and immediately trance began to whisper something that I couldn't make out. I closed my eyes at the sound and told Beka that everything would be ok.  
  
"I'm done." Trance said innocently, less then a minute later. We slowly opened our eyes. I expected to see a cold dead harper and I wondered just what that would look like. Would it look like he was sleeping or would it look odd, odd as in still, like his soul was dormant? I looked back to see Harper sitting up right and shaking off what ever daze was left from his injury. He looked brand new, almost better then he usually looked.  
  
"What did you do?" I said in amazement and Beka just reached out and touched his face. She almost expected it to be cold with death but it wasn't and when she realized it she brought Harper in for a hug of a lifetime.  
  
"Boss..." Harper whined.  
  
"Well, I guess you could say I rewound him but he's better so it doesn't really matter how I did it." She said grinning from ear to ear. She looked over at Harper who was still trapped in Beka's parental embrace.  
  
"That sound..." Tyr said questioningly. We all paused our celebration and listened intently. First we heard nothing then a slight roar from the dark depths of the black tube, behind us. The pipe started to rumble under us and panic diminished our ability to talk. A loud screech from above made us realize the dwindling light and we looked up to see that the Pipe was sealing it's self automatically. The light crept away until all was left was near perfect darkness. The vibrations became stronger and so did that ominous roar of something big and menacing.  
  
"Move, Move, Move!" I could hear Harper shouting. We started to scramble pushing each other along. I couldn't' see a thing which only made the situation that much worse. I didn't think our feelings of desperation could get anymore acute until the heat started to rise in the pipe and breathing became almost impossible. I looked back to see the cloud of steam rushing down the tube at a horrifying speed. Billowing forward with no intentions of stopping until it had swallowed us up. I whimpered and Harper pushed me.  
  
"Go!" He shouted and we all pushed ourselves to move faster. My muscles burned and the ominous roar of the beast behind us left me unable to hear the shouts and screams of my crew. The steam was right on our heels and my life started to flash before my eyes. Everything I've ever wanted to do or say differently, it was all there. A shameful display of 'what if's', 'should have's' and 'why not's'. I braced for the scorching death but suddenly the ground slipped from underneath me and I felt myself falling, a scream escaped my lips at the shock. the steam was still bearing down at us from above and the unholy moan that came from the deadly cloud rung in my ears and shook my whole world. There was a light at the end of the tunnel we were recklessly sliding down. The light seemed to grow but really it was just getting closer and before I could react the light surrounded me and for that second I didn't know up from down and my mind whirled. Then something lurched me back into reality. I opened my eyes to see beka looking into mine straining with everything she had. I looked down to see Harper holding on to my foot while he held on to Trances tail. The shouted and screamed in fear and I felt it somewhat funny that Trance had done something miraculous to save his life only for him to die only minuets later. I looked down passed panicing crew members and int the dark void below us. We braced while the steam roared passed us spraying a light mist of heat toward us. As if it was giving us a sample of what it could have done to use. There seemed to be too much going on at once and I couldn't concentrate on our situation. My fear was eating me alive. All the moisture made it hard for me to keep my grip and when Beka realized I was slipping she stared at me in horror. She looked up at Tyr who's pants she was holding on to. He Held onto a rusted bar hanging from the pipes opening just far enough out of the way that the majority of the mist didn't touch us. He was carrying all our weight on his shoulders. Then the same question as before came up again at this crucial moment. I looked into his brown eyes... Do I trust Tyr? Do I trust Beka? Tyr screamed with the strain.  
  
"My Arm!" Beka cried. It was dislocated and I realized that she wasn't holding on to me. I was holding on to her. 


	7. Chapter 7

  
  
Time inched by and everything slowed down. The loud roar of the steam passing became background noise and the only thing that was holding my attention now was the teary blue of Beka's eyes. I looked pass her to Tyr who grunted in strain and stared down at me. His survival was at steak...would he drop us? I looked down at the void below us, the swirling darkness that seemed to have triangular teeth jutting out from the walls. The steam finally stopped and I looked down at Harper and trance. Trance whimpered loudly while Harper constantly murmured things to keep her calm through choppy breaths.  
  
"I can't hold you any longer!" Beka screamed I grimaced at her words...I knew what I had to do...but I would be condemning myself as well as Harper and Trance to a horrifying death. There life and death has always depended on me...but never before had it been like this. Tyr and Beka...I trusted them...but they have always had there ulterior motives. The irony was not lost on me that I could be sacrificing my life and the two innocents below me to save the lives of two possible murders. They were the only one's unaccounted for, the only ones with keys to our room. It all made sense that it was them...but they were still my crew and still my family...I couldn't watch them die if there was a way to save there lives. I looked down at Harper and trance who were now waiting for my decision but they already knew what I would choose.  
  
"I love you Harper!" Trance said quickly slipping from Harpers grasp and falling soundlessly into the darkness.  
  
"NOOOOOOO!" Harper screamed.  
  
"Trance! OH GOD!" He reached out to grab her but she was long gone...Harper went limp in defeat letting the tears flow. He sobbed for all of us and my heart sank. He mumbled her name over and over seeming to hope that maybe she'd respond, maybe there was some sort of glimmer of hope that she survived.  
  
"She did that on purpose. OH GOD!" he said to me as if i had an answer... but i didn't. I looked down at Harper and he looked up at me gathering himself the best he could. He nodded letting me know that he was ready...ready to join his pixie in the shadowy beyond. I knew he loved beka, but she was far from his mind right now...he just wanted to be with Trance, even in death.  
  
I released my hand and slid a little before Beka tightened her twisted fingers in horror.  
  
"No Dylan! "She said pleading for me to hang on...trying to tell me that she could take it, but the pain was etched on her face so deep that her pleas didn't have any merit. I smiled up at her.  
  
"I trust you Beka..." I said...more to myself then her...more of a reassurance on my belief in her character, that even though all clues pointed to her and Tyr...that they didn't do it. I closed my eyes...I let go. The fall wasn't so bad, the cool air that zipped passed nurtured my scorched skin. Of course there was panic, panic of the unknown but not as much as I thought. Me and Harper still held on to each other. A strong bond through the darkness, maybe together we'd make it. Slowly my world started to disappear, but it wasn't so bad. It felt like sleep overcoming all of my senses. I felt like I was going dormant, all my functions slowing down until my body was rendered alive yet dead. It felt good. Every muscle relaxed except for my hand...I held on to Harper for dear life and he held on to me. Then I slipped under wondering when we'd finally hit bottom.  
  
Light and static was all I could make out. The swirls of haloes and fuzz filled my eyes and my brain. I squeezed my hand but there was no one there. I immediately sprung up looking for Harper, which was a horrible mistake. The room spun and my guts jolted and rolled in protest. I breathed through the confusion. The doors that were amazingly obscure swooshed open and a green shape oozed forth. I rubbed my eyes...was I drugged? How did we survive the fall? Is this a dream? A bright light snapped on and I whimpered as my eyes seemed to dry out and crack at the smallest ounce of light. A voice cut through all of the confusion and fear.  
  
"We have proof that your crew members... Beka and Tyr killed our 3 family supporters. If you tell me where they are...we will let you, Trance and Harper go free." The light exuded something that felt like electric heat lapping at my exposed skin. His words were lost on me, as soon as his words were done my mind dumped them. The lack of control over this situation left me frightened and emotionally withered.  
  
"Harper has already told me that Beka and Tyr shot my people...all you have to do is tell me where they are...and I will let you go free."  
  
"Harper! Trance! Where are they!" I shouted  
  
"They are well, for now...your Harper is not so well, he's harder to make better...if you tell me where Beka and Tyr is we will surely let you go and put our utmost attention toward healing the little one." I thought for a second. The decision seemed to be an easy one but it wasn't. I had sacrificed my life to save theirs...I had told Beka I believed in her...But once again doubt sprung forward. I could save Harpers life if I just gave up the hot headed Beka valentine and the scheming neitzchean, but they were my crew.  
  
"No." I said sturnly  
  
"What? You will let Harper just die? He said that he saw Beka shoot 3 of my people...The evidence is clear!" The rollan said with exasperation.  
  
"Harper would never snitch on Beka. Your lying and I trust my crew...They didn't kill anyone!"  
  
"So you're blaming this on the nietzcheans or maybe the than...you think they set you up?"  
  
"I'm not blaming this on anyone! I just know that my crew, MY FAMILY! Didn't do this!" I spat through my drug filled haze. The light snapped off but a huge halo still hung in front of my eyes. Silence filled the room other then disembodied whispers. My head spun, Was I doing the right thing? Was I risking Harper's life for nothing?  
  
"Congratulations Captain Dylan Hunt." Came a familiar voice as the overhead lights flickered on.  
  
TBC 


	8. Part 8

"What's happening?" I was ready for the next shoe to drop, ready for this situation to become more then it seemed.

"Dylan! Dylan can you hear me!" came a shrill over my neck communicator. I lifted my hand hesitantly focusing on the crowd of rollans smiling at me. The scene was eerie

"Andromeda?"

"Dylan are you ok?"

"I'm fine…" I said to rommie more as a question then a statement. Suddenly four doors opened all on different walls…my head snapped around trying to figure out what was happening next. Each door held a different crewmember…they slowly walked in looking just as confused and scared as me. Harper's eyes landed on me and I nodded to him, my way of saying it'll be alright. Beka looked like crap. She held her arm tenderly grimacing at every movement she made. Tyr growled at the sight of the Rollans and started to advance on them but I nodded and he stopped in place growling at the Rollans for sending us through hell and at me for not wanting revenge that consisted of Tyrs bone spurs embedded deep in the chest of all the rollans in the room. The room…It was nothing like the rest of the building…It was filled with blinking lights, switches and knobs. Nothing like the rest of the planet that seemed to be almost void of technology. I continuously scanned the room when suddenly the whole room seemed to light up when Harper saw Trance shuffle through the door on the far wall. He squinted to keep back the tears that threatened to break free. Trances eyes wandered slowly around the what looked like some sort of medical lab. Her lips a little pouty from the sheer confusion of it all, Then her eyes landed on Harper. Her breath caught in her throat and she started to bounce. 

"Harper!

"Trance!" They both shouted in unison. Trance scurried over to Harper giving the rollans as much room as possible. They connected in an earth shattering embrace. Each rambling about how they thought they had lost each other forever. 

"Why did you do that Trance? Why did you just let go?" Harper said with so much pain in his voice…

"Dylan had to make a decision, and I knew you would protest if his decision had anything to do with harming me. I knew what had to be done so all of us wouldn't die." Harper nodded…he knew she was right but it still hurt so bad to see her fall like that. See her purple sparkles engulfed in that thick dark sludge. Harper held Trance even closer kissing her forehead.

"I love you Trance…"

"I love you too Harper…much more then I can ever tell you." She said with an intense look in her eye.

"It took this to remind me that we won't be here forever and I want you now with me…when I imagine my future your always there. I want you with me forever; I can't put off my feeling for you any longer." Trance held harpers face and he look at a lost for words. He wasn't use to someone caring so much so openly. Sure Beka loved and cared for him and he knew it…but this was different...He closed his eyes and absorbed her words.

"Trance" he said before kissing her gently…feeling out his new playground. The kiss became more and more passionate and hands started to roam. I cleared my throat but they kept going. I looked over at the Rollans who were caught up in it too, as if it was some sort of soap opera. I started to become irritated when one pulled out a tissue and wiped their eyes.

"What the hell is going on!" I shouted and The Rollans snapped back to attention.

"Calm down Mr. Dyl…"

"The hell I will!"

"Through your ordeal you have proven to us that your family is strong and resilient and that different species can co-exsist in a family unit and still uphold the values."

"I don't understand…this was some sort of sick test?"

"I'm sorry if you don't like our methods…but we had to be sure that we could share our abilities with the commonwealth…We never planned for you to get hurt…when you became intoxicated it was the perfect opportunity to create a situation that could cause dissention between your family, but in the end you risked your lives to save the two who were the most likely to be the culprits. Then in this very room we gave you the opportunity to give them up yet you didn't and even in the faced with the possible death of Mr. Harper…you still would not name the neitzcheans as the culprits. We admire this…" The rollan stepped aside and Chakra stepped forward smiling brightly and holding a small spherical ball that came to life projecting images of scenes from our struggle over the last day. Tender scenes from the weeks we spent milling around also zoomed by. I was still not pleased with his explanation, Our lives were at stake for a test! For what reason were we being tested?. The scenes froze on the cells where Harper was squeezing through naked and I could feel harpers embarrassment growing without even looking at him.

"Ahhh! Come on! You gotta freeze it right there! I told you there were cameras! Awww man!" Everyone started to giggle, even beka grimacing every time she laughed. Tyr just smiled and the rollans covered there mouths in amusement.

"We almost died!" I screamed. Why wasn't anyone taking this seriously! Everyone seemed to have a short attention span. My irritation was growing.

"We would have never let you die…we did not expect for you to get caught in that exhaust pipe…we were quick to find you and heal you. I know our methods might not have been the best in your eyes…" Chakra said trying to defuse my anger but it wasn't working.

"Your damn right!"

"But it was the only way to be sure…"

"Sure of what?" Dylan enquired.

"Our people are dying, it seems that we've had our time in the universe and within the next hundred years there will be none of us left. We've been looking for a species to pass our knowledge down too…a people who could make a difference in the universe. We wanted a race that wouldn't abuse the power, but also wouldn't try to monopolize it like we have." Chakra said sadly. He waved his hand and a window appeared outside. The snow seemed to melt away and all that was left was a dark withered world where once a plush field of flowers once was. The same field Trance and Harper had danced and sung in just a week ago. Chakra continued on sadly.

"We have tried many races and all have failed until you. We had been looking for a specific race when we realized that you were a family comprised of all races and creeds coming together for a sole purpose…peace. We admired this and sent you a message…we had already tested the nietzcheans and they failed but we needed an antagonist so we asked the drago katsov here."

"What knowledge?" I said curiously, wondering just what a green race of people could really give us. I was wondering just what was so important.

"This knowledge…" Chakra lifted his arms and swirls of colors danced around his fingers. He was wearing some sort of hand devise that seemed to be calling these colorful specs of energy toward him. He pointed toward Beka and her eyes shot open but she soon relaxed…she flexed her arm in awe…she was completely healed. Then he turned to Harper who shook his head no but was soon engulfed in the bright spirals of blues greens reds and yellows and when chakra finally steered the colors away Harper looked like a new man. He had color to his cheeks and looked healthier then I'd ever seen him. Harper flexed and pranced around a little while trance felt his back and whispered.

"All your scars are gone."

"Really?...Cool!" Harper said grinning from ear to ear.

"Now…now do you understand? This free flowing energy source could power anything…an energy that is found everywhere and could be harnessed to heal any wound, cure any disease and power any weapon." Chakra lowered his head in thought.

"The only draw back…one we didn't realize until it was too late, was that our world wasn't a river of ever flowing energy... just like anything else the energy started to run out and soon everything in our world began to fade, but we couldn't' stop using the power, it was too embedded in our way of life. Now look at our world…it is far from what it use to be…everything is void of any vibrancy…void of life." The other Rollans around him nodded there agreement and slowly turned to leave.

"Feel free to leave at any time now…we will not keep you…but you and your commonwealth have our blessings and if you are willing to forgive us for this test…We will teach you all we know and help in your fight to bring order to this hostile universe…just like the veterans once did. They asked us to allie with them, to help them help others but in all our greed and superiority we refused and shut ourselves off…much to our own detriment."

"Dylan! Dylan what's going on? There was snow…but it disappeared as if it was never there…what's happeneing."

"Rommie, we're coming home…" I said looking around the room at my misfit crew. Harper and Trance going at it again and Tyr and Beka talking about the application of the new technology…focusing on revenge and profit of course. I took a deep breath and pressed my neck communicator again.

"Get ready Rommie…we're bringing some guests aboard."

"Thank You" Chakra said nodding his thanks.

It took 3 hours of explaining before andromeda and I fully understood what had happened. They had tested us to see if we could uphold values and handle the gift they were giving us. This new technology that would not only give the commonwealth the boost it needed but also give us the power to save lives. For the first time since I started this mission I was thankful to be alive and I remembered that instant when I had been embarrassed by the actions of my crew. I looked at them chatting with the Rollans…some more open, others more paranoid. I would never be embarrassed by them again. Trance was very open with them, chatting and bouncing around while Harper on the other hand kept scanning the room for suspicious behavior. Harper had gone through a miraculous change, his body showed no signs of malnutrition or his usual compromised immune system, he was fit as a fiddle but his mind was still the same. I smiled at his darting eyes…

"You'll never change." I mumbled to myself. Beka sat on some couches in the corner…the ordeal had done a lot to her resolve…I know she felt vulnerable. Hell I did too. She continually flexed her arm still in shock of what happened, having our lives in her hands and being unable to save us, loosing us. Even if it was for just a little while, but she was coming around. Suddenly I noticed that Tyr wasn't even here.

"Andromeda…locate Tyr"

"Tyr is in the observation Deck" Rommie said, her voice was happy and relieved that she had finally gotten her crew back. I gazed over my crew and our new allies once again. We had been through hell…They had run us through the gauntlet but I also felt that we had needed it. A lot had happened for the good. Harper and Trance had found there love for each other, I had connected with my crew and I also found that both Beka and Tyr were trust worthy. I heard Trance giggle and plant a little kiss on Harpers lips and I smiled. I was happy for him but I still hadn't gotten the chance to talk to him. I stepped out of the room afraid my sudden sullen thoughts would transmit somehow. I walked to the Ob's deck and stepped through the doors to see Tyr sitting casually, staring at the once snow covered planet.

"You're missing all the fun." I said and Tyr scoffed.

"What are you thinking about?" I said sitting next to him.

"Our latest adventure." He said sarcastically.

"Tyr...Why did you hold on to us…you risked your life for us. I talked to chakara…he said that he interrogated everyone but he was surprised when he interrogated you. He told me you refused to name any of us the culprit, even when he promised to let you go if you did. What you did didn't seem very Nietzschean." I said and Tyr breathed in and rose from his seat. He started to walk off but bent down to whisper in my ear.

"Slipfighter" He said and walked out. I smiled at the dull planet in front of me. 

"That is so very nietzschean of you." I said to myself but I heard the doors open again and the familiar sound of uneven footsteps. I turned around curious.

"Mr. Harper?" I said.

"The one and only." He said with a boyish grin. He drained his cup and breathed out its imaginary steam.

"So why'd you leave the party? You looked kinda sad actually…anything on your mind?" He said

"You wanna talk to me?"

"Well, yeah…"

"I don't know this is just weird…you seem to always try to get away from me." Harper laughed and I could tell he was a little buzzed. He sat down next to me where tyr had sat earlier.

"Well, honestly you were the boss and you had the authority to kick my little sickly ass out of an airlock anyday. So I just decided to keep my distance and keep my mouth shut around you." Harper finished and I opened my mouth to protest but he quickly injected his next statement.

"But….on the planet I saw that you were a cool guy to hang around…a good drinkin' buddy." Harper said elbowing me playfully.

"Just don't tell Trance." He said and we both laughed.

"You and trance seem like the perfect match" I said and an instant smile spread across his face.

"She's my girl." Harper said with a nod his eyes glazed over with happiness.

"I've got a bottle of vodka in my room…and some old vids you've just gotta see." Harper said hopping up. And waiting for me to follow. We started to walk out of the room and Harper rambled on about the vid.

"Have you ever seen star trek…" Harper said with a smile.

"The captain is a lot like you…flying around the universe picking up girls along the way."

"I don't pick up girls along the way…"

"pashaw! Yeah right! Remember the last drift we visited?"

"OK, well that's one instance."

"Oh let me go check the list…"

"You have a list…"

"Rommie…" Rommie flickered into existence with her arms crossed. The monitor beside her sparked to life and name after name scrolled down the screen.

"The list" Harper said and Rommie smiled. I laughed and rolled my eyes…I looked at Harper. He's going to be a very interesting friend.

The End

I finally finished it! Yay!

P.S –try my other story called 'Fixing the Damage' (Harper-centric story) I plan to finish that one now too! And if you're an x-men fan you should read my new x-men stories. Wolverine-centric of course!


End file.
